Spokeswoman slams US military buildup in Asia-Pacific

The United States is using the so-called "China threat" as a pretext to strengthen its military deployment in the Asia-Pacific, which is not conducive to regional peace and stability, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

Mao made this statement in response to a media query about reports that the United States will invest heavily in monitoring the movements of Chinese military forces and satellites.

"The U.S. is using the so-called 'China threat' as a pretext to strengthen its military deployment in the Asia-Pacific, which is not conducive to regional peace and stability, and runs counter to the interests of countries in the region," said Mao.

As of Feb. 26, 2026, the eastern corridor of the China-Europe freight train network has witnessed more than 1,000 train trips on its railway lines this year, breaking the mark 26 days earlier than last year.

Cargo throughput surpassed 100,000 TEUs, with train trips and freight volume rising 48.4 percent and 43.2 percent year on year, respectively.

The eastern corridor consists of three railway ports including Manzhouli, Suifenhe and Tongjiang. The number of operating routes has expanded to 27, linking over 60 Chinese cities with 14 European countries.

To cope with surging cross-border demand, railway authorities have deployed "smart border port" systems and strengthened coordination with customs and border inspection agencies. Clearance procedures have been streamlined to under 30 minutes, boosting overall transport efficiency by around 10 percent.

At Manzhouli Station, operations are running at full capacity.

"We can handle 16 freight trains in 24 hours, totaling over 900 containers. All our six devices run in full capacity every day. Staff work in shifts while equipment runs non-stop. We are committed to keeping processing time for each train within two hours to ensure timely departures," said Yang Liang, a worker from Manzhouli station.